Books

It’s time for Top Ten Tuesday. This is a weekly challenge hosted by The Brooke and the Bookish. This week’s challenge is a freebie for Father’s Day. If you want to participate in this weekly meme, be sure to go check out Brooke’s blog!

I thought about this for a few days on how I wanted to do this Top Ten Tuesday challenge. I read a lot of fantasy and those books don’t highlight good or present fathers (or parents) that often. I couldn’t decide on whether I wanted to highlight best or worst fathers, so let’s do a mix! Top 5 Best Father Figures and Top 5 Worst Father Figures. Here goes!

TOP 5 Best Father Figures

Giles from Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Yes, I know Giles is not from a novel and not anyone’s biological father but, as we all know, DNA isn’t what truly matters. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is my all-time favorite show and Giles is a pretty badass character and father figure. Buffy’s own father bailed on her and even though Giles started off as “just” her watcher – it wasn’t long before their relationship turned into more of a father/daughter one. He really looks out for all the “scooby gang,” and would literally die for any of them – and almost has on many occasions.

Big Mav from The Hate U Give by Angie Thomson

Big Mav isn’t a flawless character. His experiences have given him cause to have particular biases but you … Read the rest

This is a few days later but better late than never, right? I went a little over-board this month – this is only part of my haul. A thift-store haul will be coming later this month. There were just too many to put into the one haul this month. I’m pretty excited about a lot of these ones though!

Frogkisser by Garth Nix – I really need to get a good photo of this later. It really doesn’t do the cover justice. This cover is STUNNING! If this book is terrible, I’ll stick keep it for the cover alone (yes, I’m very shallow when it comes to book covers!). This is a retelling of The Frog Prince – can’t wait. I should mention, that this is a middle-grade book.

The Fashion Committe by Susan Juby – This was kind of an odd buy for me. It’s very out of my comfort zone but they marketed as a Project Runway type book and I was sold. I love my reality television (groan, groan – I know!). I think comparing it to Project Runway is a bit of a stretch. Yes, it’s a fashion competition but it actually ended up being a realistic contemporary novel with some deep themes such as drug addiction and neglect. I’ve already read this novel, if you haven’t read my review yet then you can check it out here . This book is CANADIAN! Lots of Canadian references, which is really cool.

This is my first time participating in Top Ten Tuesday. This is a weekly challenge hosted by The Brooke and the Bookish. This week’s challenge is Top Ten Most Anticipated Books for the Second Half of 2017. This is an easy one for me because I have many wants for the rest of the year – just have to dwindle down my list a bit! My top ten is not in any particular order, I just want them all – NOW!!!

Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab (Monsters of Verity #2)

Release Date: June 16th, 2017

I adored the first in the series, Our Savage Song, so I’ve been waiting on this one for months. This is a duology, so this will be the last we see of these characters. The cover is lovely and matches the first perfectly. I can’t wait to have this beauty on my shelf. I have this one on pre-order.

Julia Defiant by Catherine Egan

Release Date: June 13th, 2017

Yet another book where I adore the first. I believe this is going to be a trilogy and this is the second book. I highly recommend the first book. It somehow went completely under the radar when it was released and that is a shame because it was a really solid beginning. I’m really looking forward to this one, it left off with so many unanswered questions and lots of potential. Pre-ordered this as well.

“It is helpful to know the proper way to behave, so one can decide whether or not to be proper.”

At birth, Ella is inadvertently cursed by an imprudent young fairy named Lucinda, who bestows on her the “gift” of obedience. Anything anyone tells her to do, Ella must obey. Another girl might have been cowed by this affliction, but not feisty Ella: “Instead of making me docile, Lucinda’s curse made a rebel of me. Or perhaps I was that way naturally.” When her beloved mother dies, leaving her in the care of a mostly absent and avaricious father, and later, a loathsome stepmother and two treacherous stepsisters, Ella’s life and well-being seem to be in grave peril. But her intelligence and saucy nature keep her in good stead as she sets out on a quest for freedom and self-discovery as she tries to track down Lucinda to undo the curse, fending off ogres, befriending elves, and falling in love with a prince along the way. Yes, there is a pumpkin coach, a glass slipper, and a happily ever after, but this is the most remarkable, delightful, and profound version of Cinderella you’ll ever read. Gail Carson Levine’s examination of traditional female roles in fairy tales takes some satisfying twists and deviations from the original. Ella is bound by … Read the rest

This will be my first time participating in Top 5 Wednesday. This is a weekly challenge for book bloggers and booktubers. The challenge is hosted by Lainy and Samantha. If you would like to participate in this weekly challenge then head on over to Goodreads and check it out – Top 5 Wednesday.

May 24th, 2017: Favorite Minor CharactersMinor characters are less than a sidekick or a side character (but not in our hearts!)

I’ve been overthinking this challenge topic for a couple of days now because the difference between a side-character and a minor character is often blurred. They told us not to overthink this challenge (so, of course I did!) but I think I’ve finally settled on my list .

The Bone Carver – A Court of Thorns and Roses Series (ACOTAR)

We might this creepy character in the second installment of the ACOTAR series. I just loved the feel that you weren’t quite sure what exactly he was and what exactly he was capable of, when get your first look at this guy. He appears to you as your greatest fear, so anyone looking upon him is seeing something entirely different. Certainly had me curious about what he actually looks like in his true form. The idea of having to bring a bone for him for him to entertain talking with you for awhile was too perfect. I love when darker characters like this one are introduced. He’s far from one-dimensional and he’s neither … Read the rest

“It was beginning to occur to me that I was a little too in love with stereotypes and preconceptions.”

Charlie Dean is a style-obsessed girl who eats, sleeps, and breathes fashion. John Thomas-Smith is a boy who forges metal sculptures in his garage and couldn’t care less about clothes. Both are gunning for a scholarship to the private art high school that could make all their dreams come true. Whoever wins the fashion competition will win the scholarship–and only one can win. Told in the alternating voices of Charlie’s and John’s journals, this hilarious and poignant YA novel perfectly captures what it’s like to have an artistic drive so fierce that nothing–not your dad’s girlfriend’s drug-addicted ex-boyfriend, a soul-crushing job at Salad Stop, or being charged with a teensy bit of kidnapping–can stand in your way. With black and white art custom-created by fashion and beauty illustrator Soleil Ignacio, the book is a collector’s item, perfect for anyone with a passion for fashion. – Excerpt from Goodreads.

The Fashion Committee was much better than I had anticipated. I am not the biggest fan of light contemporary but this had a wonderful balance.

Trigger Warning: Drug addiction and domestic violence.

This book started off as your typical, light contemporary novel. … Read the rest

Looming war threatens all Feyre holds dear in the third volume of the #1 New York Times bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses series. Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit-and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well. As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords-and hunt for allies in unexpected places. In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the earth will be painted red as mighty armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy them all. – Excerpt from Goodreads.

I swear this will be a spoiler free review. I will likely do a spoiler review later on.

I’m not crying! You’re crying! Yes, I needed lots of tissue for this read. My heart broke a few dozen times. I don’t know how I’m going to move on to another high fantasy after this … Read the rest

Feyre survived Amarantha’s clutches to return to the Spring Court—but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can’t forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin’s people.

Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms—and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future—and the future of a world cleaved in two.

The following review will have major spoilers – if you haven’t read the book yet, I would suggest not reading any further.

I am a completely and utter emotional wreck and I’m sending you my therapy bill, Maas!!!

A Court of Mist and Fury took me on an emotional roller coaster ride to say the very least. I am officially on the hype-train for Maas and I’m not getting off anytime soon. All of these characters are just so well-written. I laughed, screamed and cried with them all. Maas might not be offering a lot in terms of inventiveness … Read the rest

Feyre’s survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price …

Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jeweled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre’s presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.

Probably by now most people have heard this novel was inspired by Beauty and the Beast, but what some might not realize is it was also inspired by two other, not so well-known, folk tales. One is Tam lin and the other being East of the Sun and West of the … Read the rest